Sold

"So...you ready?" Justan asked with a small smirk.

"Are you?" I laughed. He'd taken me back to that park and we were sitting on a round - about; after the swings, a walk, some sliding, and some ice cream. I'd say he was stalling.

"Yeah." He sighed, his smirk dropping. I waited, but for 10 minutes, nothing came out of thatbeautiful mouth of his.

"So, you first." I laughed again.

"Oh. Right. Um, just ask a question." He looked down at the blue metal as we spun slowly.

"Okay, what's with all that stuff you were saying about my mom? You know her? Why was your mom so shocked and upset about my mom? She knows her?" I stopped myself before going on, noticing I had asked a lot more than 1 question. Four is not a lot more than 1 question. Yes it is now, shut the hell up!!

"Yes, both my mom and I knew your mom." He said, with a slight smile. Wanting to hear more, I nodded softly, urging him to go on.

"My mom and your mom grew up together. Actually, from the age of 3, they've been as close as sisters. You see, our grandparents -on our mother's side, of course- had traditions of choosing friends -especially close friends- for their children." My jaw slacked slightly, but I didn't stop him. "Just so happens that our grandparents were chosen friends, and had children at the same time. Thus resulting in their own daughters being chosen to be friends." I nodded, doing my best to take all of it in. When he didn't continue, I took advantage of it.

"So, it was basically an arranged marriage, but with friends. So .. like an arranged friendship." I said, more to myself, but hoping he would understand what I meant.

"Yeah, basically." He smiled, and I nodded, again, for him to go on. I hadn't asked many questions to lead to this .. but I knew it would be a nice little story with lots of info. "Oh, okay. So, not only do they pick their friends, but they also pick someone to protect them."

"Like a bodyguard?" I asked, making sure me and him were on the same page.

"Yeah, like a bodyguard. Your grandparents chose some outside -none parental picked-, and some chosen, friend's sons, and they'd each spend up to 5 months with your mom." Before I could ask why, he put his hand up and continued. "That way your grandparents could see who she got along with best, and who would protect her most. Just so happens that your grandmother's chosen best friend's son was the one that clicked. It also just so happens that little boy was your dad." This time my jaw dropped completely. We just sat there for a while, letting this all sink in for me.

"So, if both my grandmothers were chosen best friends, then how were our parent's parents chosen to be best friends too?" I nearly re-confused myself with my own question.

"Our grandfathers were picked out for each other." He laughed at my slow-ness.

"Did they get bodyguards too?" I asked before he could say much else.

"No only the girls." He was taking this whole thing a bit more serious than I would have thought.

"Oh. So, do they choose their husbands too?" Right after I asked, I remembered what he said about my dad. But, before I could correct myself, he answered me.

"Not exactly." I saw a faint smile crawl its way onto his face.

"Oh, okay." I just let the topic go.

"Any else?" He asked, his voice showing that he hoped there wasn't. What doesn't he want to tell me?

"Yeah, actually." I saw his posture slump slightly. "What was with that stuff you were saying about my mom and how she wanted me to be with someone she knew and trusted?" He sighed as if that was the exact question he was avoiding.

"Well, like I told you, your grandparents had traditions and-" I cut him off, getting irritated with how I never get answer.

"Well, what the hell does that have do with me?" I had to admit, I sounded like a bitch, and Justan looked slightly surprised.

"If you'd let me finish .. you might fucking know!" He barked at me. I recoiled into myself slightly, with a nod. "Sorry." He mumbled, his face softening, I just nodded again. "Alright. So, your mom shared those traditions with your grandparents. She just found it fit to do so." I slowly nodded, still not understanding where he was going. Justan sighed, catching on to the fact that I wasn't getting a thing. "Alright. So, your mom set up 5 month play dates with guys. Matt, and I are actually 2 of those guys you got to be with. You had actually gotten along with the two of us the most, and equally. Matty however, wasn't fit to protect you. As I was." My eyebrows furrowed, and I stopped him.

"But, I don't remember you. I never knew someone named Justan."

"Justan Jeremie Cooper get your ass down here!" Daneese's sweet voice was shrill and loud as she called him. My eyes widened and Justan gave me a soft look before leaving.